Slide Lounge Presents CABARET KINGS & QUEENS OF MARDI GRAS

Slide Lounge, Oxford St's home of cabaret, hosts an electrifying collection of performing artists who celebrate all aspects of queer culture during the Mardi Gras season.

As a long standing icon of the Oxford Street community, Slide programs a month of vibrant shows that align with Mardi Gras and celebrate the diversity of our local and international community. Slide's Live Entertainment Producer Jeremy Brennan has scheduled an exciting calendar of shows.

Slide's Mardi Gras Season of Cabaret for 2014

Wednesday 12th Feb: 2 BLACK - A Night Of ReconciliGAYtion
2 black? 2 gay? 2 busy? Or just 2 fabulous?! Kirk Page is widely known for his physical theatre, aerial and dance work. Audiences will be most familiar with his recent starring role in season two's powerful first episode of acclaimed ABC series Redfern Now. Steven Oliver has had showings of his musical "Black Queen Black King" as part of Queensland Theatre Company's Creative Development Series, and also at the Brisbane Powerhouse as part of their World Theatre Festival Program. He is currently working on an Indigenous Comedy Sketch Show for the ABC.

Thursday 13th Feb: Michael Cormick: Brand New Kinda Me
Michael Cormick is man enough to sing the divas! Australian music theatre's leading man with the 'handsomely powerful voice' reinterprets the songs of Whitney, Alicia, Joni and Nina Simone. "My whole life I have lived other peoples stories. Through their stories... I find my own." Having forged a career of performing some of theatre's most interesting and complex male roles, Michael bravely leaps into new territory - in fact you could say he's boldly going where no man has gone before!

Sunday 16th & Sunday 23rd Feb: VOYEUR
Male, muscular, physical, sexual. VOYEUR is a high tech all-male revue featuring "smokin'-hot burlesque boys", Time Out Sydney Five multi award winning Aussie Pole Boys display their many talents both on and off the pole, in a multi-media show focusing on strength, agility and the male physique. This adult only all-male burlesque show, spans traditional to nouveau burlesque, aerial performance and pole dance, and is set against a purpose-built multi-media set with stunning lighting effects. Special guest performance by international acro-singer Ben Palumbo.

Wednesday 19th & Thursday 20th Feb: MATTHEW MITCHAM: Twists & Turns
The ukulele playing Olympian brings his inspiring book to life with story and song. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Matthew Mitcham produced the performance of his life winning gold for Australia and becoming the first diver to ever score perfect tens from all four judges. Against the odds, Matthew had achieved the highest single-dive score in Olympic history. But life behind the spotlight was a challenging mess of drugs and other demons." People kept remarking on how they were surprised that a gold medal and fame hadn't changed me. I always responded, 'Why would I change? Being me is the easiest person to be.' I was lying. It wasn't."
Now, the joyously out and proud, gold-medallist brings his inspiring book to life onstage at Slide Lounge.
Away from the diving pool Matthew is a talented singer and musician. Told with theatre and song, and the honesty and courage he is admired for, Twists and Turns is the story of a true champion, in and out of the pool. Directed by Nigel Turner-Caroll, written by Rhys Morgan, and with musical direction by Jeremy Brennan.

Monday 24th Feb: THE JAMBLES RAMBLE SHOW
Jay Leno meets Jools Holland. Host James Wright interviews, and duets with, guests from all areas of the entertainment industry in a pastiche version of the tonight show format featuring live and interactive segments and special top line show business guests. This is the launch of a monthly show that promises to be full of satire, fun and utterly jambling rambling madness!

Tuesday 25th Feb: SPANKY: Dead Bitches
London cabaret savant and Mister Sister. Spanky returns to Slide with a performance of his/her newest and most daring show - Doomsday is approaching, as predicted by the Mayan calendar, and in an empty hospital room Nurse Kaelene Dakota Nancypot is visited by four apocalyptic Dead Bitches who usher in the end of days.
Spanky held a seven-year residency at London's infamous Bistrotheque, has performed for three British Prime Ministers and had private bookings at the request of Elton John and Alexander McQueen. Melbourne Cabaret Festival's 2012 Spanky premiere was universally acclaimed by audiences, reviewers and peers, with a Herald Sun reviewer uncharacteristically dropping an f-bomb on twitter, exclaiming - "that was f*cked up & brilliant & funny & beautiful".

Wednesday 26th Feb: BECCY COLE is Queer Of Country
Beccy Cole is back for her second Mardi Gras with her high energy Country meets Cabaret show. After rave reviews of Beccy's 2013 show, 'A Country Outing,' Beccy has answered the calls of her new rainbow audiences and is set to thrill on returning. In two decades, the funny Country Queen has shelved 9 Golden Guitars, 3 Gold records, 2 Entertainer of the Year awards, 7 song writing awards and peaked at Number One on the radio chart a whopping 14 times. Joining Beccy is her sassy partner, jazz chanteuse Libby O'Donovan. The pair are fresh from a sell-out season at the Feast Festival and together will be offering a peek at their upcoming theatre show 'The Cowgirl and The Showgirl,' set to debut at Adelaide's Internationally renowned Cabaret Festival in June.

Thursday 27th Feb: CLAIRE de LUNE: Drags to Riches - A Retrospective
An epic night of drag entertainment. Also featuring VERUSHKA DARLING, MAXI SHIELD & PORTIA TURBO and MIZ IMA STARR. Come celebrate a true icon of Oxford Street, CLAIRE DE LUNE - DIVA Hall of Famer, chef, starlet, hostess, bon vivant and entertainer. Famous for her wicked humour and generous spirit - this night, like Claire, will be spicy, outrageous, nostalgic, a little bit naughty, and tres French! Claire will recreate some of her most famous production numbers from her residencies at Hey Homo!, Room 208, and at the legendary Annie's Bar. Plus our special guest performer tonight comes all the way from Tasmania via New Zealand... Miz Ima Starr the singing, wisecracking cabaret phenomenon of stage and small screen, her previous shows 'Sit On My Face Or Get Out Of My Life', 'I Lost It At The Movies' and 'Hello Miz American Pie' have received international acclaim. As a big fan of Claire de Lune - Miz Ima Starr naturally intends to thoroughly upstage the entire event! You have been warned.

Friday 28th February: CHICK
Women Only. The monthly CHICK party celebrates Mardi Gras Eve with a massive event featuring DJ DUJOUR and live shows by Drag King Superstars SEXY GALEXY and TRICKY BOOMBANG.

Saturday 1st March: THE STROKE OF MIDNIGHT
Annual post Mardi Gras Parade party. Sydney's most tantalizing after dark variety show dishes up a massive post-parade party, headlined by DJ KATE MONROE and hosted by FIDEL CATHRO, with live performances by dance sensation RHYS BOBRIDGE and UK burlesque queen CHRYS COLUMBINE. Not for the faint-hearted, this event is always deeply sexy and wildly fun.

Photo Credit: John McRae

Pictured: Matthew Mitcham